| This article is about heart rate training cycling. You will | | | | easier on a turbo trainer. |
| learn what it is, and how to do it effectively. Heart rate | | | | Warm up with 15-20 minutes of easy spinning and |
| training cycling is a type of training where you use a | | | | stretches, and then go as hard as you can for 30 |
| heart rate monitor (HRM) to measure effort. There is | | | | minutes. Your average HR over the last 20 minutes will |
| no need to get any fancy equipment that costs | | | | be close to your LT. You will need to reset your HRM |
| thousands of dollars; a simple HRM for around | | | | before the last 20 minutes in order to calculate the |
| $40-$50 will suffice. | | | | average; this is why I highly recommend you do it on |
| Before you start heart rate training cycling, there are | | | | an indoor trainer. |
| three measurements which you need: resting, lactate | | | | MHR is the simplest, but hardest measurement to take |
| threshold, and maximum heart rates. RHR, LT and | | | | in order to do heart rate training cycling. It is simple |
| MHR respectively. | | | | since it is just the fastest rate your heart beats, but it is |
| You can go to some labs or training centres and pay | | | | the hardest since you will have to go all-out, in order to |
| to have these measured accurately, however, if you | | | | get this measured accurately. Before measuring your |
| aren't a professional, you will not need this type of | | | | MHR, you should see your doctor first, I don't want to |
| accuracy. Below I will describe how get each of the | | | | get sued if you die or something happens as a result |
| above measurements. The more accurate the | | | | of you reading this article! |
| measurements, the more effective your heart rate | | | | You can do this on the turbo or on the road uphill, it isn't |
| training cycling will be. | | | | too important which one you choose. Warm up as |
| The most accurate way of measuring your resting HR | | | | described above, and then go all out on the turbo, or |
| is to measure it first thing in the morning, as soon as | | | | up hill, as hard as you can for 60-90 seconds, have 30 |
| you wake up, and before you get out of bed. The | | | | seconds recovery, by either spinning gently on the |
| best time is on a weekend where you can wake up | | | | turbo, or coasting down hill. After your 30 seconds |
| naturally, since you will be in an extremely relaxed | | | | recovery, go all out again as described above. Repeat |
| state. Simply have a clock or watch which you can | | | | this until you feel like you can go any longer or harder, |
| see, and count the number of beats in 60 seconds. | | | | count the number of beats in 1 minute; that is your |
| This is your RHR. | | | | maximum heart rate. |
| Your lactate threshold is the most awkward | | | | Those are the essential things you must do before |
| measurement to take for heart rate training cycling, | | | | start heart rate training cycling, keep a watch on my |
| since it improves as you get fitter. You can do this test | | | | lens (link below), I will update it when I write my next |
| either on a turbo trainer or on the road, it is much | | | | article which will go more in-depth. |